Text and Photos by Kelsea Schafer
On Saturday, July 13, the University of Alabama’s quarterback Jalen Milroe hosted his youth football camp at Hoover High School, inviting boys and girls ages 6 to 16 to hone their football techniques, skills and abilities. Jalen has reached the pinnacle of his collegiate football career and has a promising future ahead of him; however, he never fails to remember how his passion for football began in his youth at former NFL player Michael Vick’s youth football camp.
Jalen knew he wanted to give back to the community the best way he knew how—through football. He partnered with FlexWork Sports Management to host three youth football camps across the state of Alabama.
Hoover High School was the second stop of the tour with more than 400 young athletes and their families flocking to the Hoover High School’s football stadium for a chance to learn from the best. With hundreds of players registered, the football camp’s participants were separated by age groups and delegated to stations that targeted specific skills such as quarterback drills, dashes, running routes and footwork exercises.
Campers even had an opportunity to “catch the tide,” the game-winning touchdown, from Jalen, himself. Camp participant Lincoln Collins was one of many who attended the camp and who says his memories with Jalen will stick with him forever.
“My favorite part of the camp was getting to meet Jalen and him throwing the ball to me,” Lincoln says.
The football camp stations outsourced willing volunteers who were knowledgeable in techniques that assisted in helping to further develop each player’s skills. The focus of each station fostered a game of friendly competition, allowing the campers to race, catch and better their techniques.
Many camp participants left the stadium as better players than when they first arrived.
“My favorite part of the camp was the drills we had to do because it challenged me to do better,” Ayden Goodgame, one of the camp participants, says.
Through the camp, Jalen taught participants that the drills they were practicing would enable them to level up their performances on the field and become better players. The day-long session concluded with a question-and-answer segment in the performing arts center, where the athletes were able to ask Jalen questions about collegiate athletics, playing for Alabama, tips for various aspects of the game and even hear his advice on remembering to work hard.
The Crimson Tide’s quarterback’s smile never left his face as he answered each question, ensuring each child had his undivided attention. Many bystanders observed Jalen’s kindness, including Harold Collins II, who described Jalen’s positive approach to the youth athletes as integral in their athletic endeavors.
“He seemed to sincerely enjoy his interactions with the children,” Harold says. “He was always smiling and encouraging them. He reinforced several times in his Q&A to work hard and not to worry about what others think about you.”
While Jalen’s football camp fostered athletic techniques necessary for success in football, it also ensured the promise of future football players to show kindness and sportsmanship, just as Jalen showed to them.
Jalen’s passion, love for the game and humble understanding allowed for hundreds of athletes to learn from him and his volunteers; however, it could not have been possible without the support from his sponsors and community leaders—FlexWork Sports Management; Betsy Reamer, Roy and Poynor Properties; Evamor Artesian Water; and Hoover High School. FlexWork Sports Management ensured that each athlete was able to enjoy devoted time at each station and receive a team photo with the quarterback.
Additionally, Evamor Artesian Water provided water bottles to ensure that each athlete stay hydrated. Betsy (Roy and Poynor Properties) equipped each youth athlete with a swag bag to take home.
Betsy says she knew immediately that she wanted to support a positive initiative that promotes youth development through sports. She described this event as incredibly fulfilling and enjoyed seeing the happiness that was evident on every child’s face as they each participated in this camp.
“Being a sponsor for this camp was incredibly rewarding, especially seeing the enthusiasm and growth of the young athletes,” Betsy says. “Seeing them develop their skills, gain confidence and foster a passion for the game was incredibly fulfilling. Additionally, knowing that our support helped create a positive and memorable experience for these aspiring athletes was incredibly gratifying.”
Jalen’s youth football camp fostered the love for the game and instilled good sportsmanship, character and patience both on and off the football field. Further, his generosity and willingness to assist each camper were undoubtedly key factors in every athlete leaving the camp with new techniques to apply to their football positions.
What began as Jalen’s idea to give back soon developed into a community initiative, uniting the future of Hoover-area football players under one objective: to be the pillars of sportsmanship in Hoover and beyond.
